Preserving the Past: Grant Opportunities for History Projects

History projects are evolving, and with today’s technology, preserving the past has never been more accessible. Grants now support a wide range of efforts to document personal narratives, oral histories, endangered ways of life, and cultural expression through art, film, and museum collections. These projects help capture the rich, lived experiences of individuals and communities. Together, they form a vibrant collage of human history, connecting generations and honoring the diverse threads that shape our shared legacy.

GrantWatch makes it easier to find the funding needed to launch or expand preservation projects. With a growing number of grants listed specifically for history initiatives, and nearly 2,700 more in the Arts and Culture category, GrantWatch is a valuable tool for nonprofits passionate about documenting the past. The platform provides detailed information on each opportunity, including eligibility, application deadlines, and tips to help you get started. Our stories matter; start preserving them today.

Grants, Awards, and In-Kind Support for History Projects

1. Grants to Nonprofits to Preserve Women in Films!

Up to $10,000 to nonprofits and individuals to preserve and/or restore American films in which women had significant creative roles. Films will be from any period of time, featuring women’s roles as performers, producers, editors, directors, and/or writers.

2. Fund Filmmakers for Native American and Inuit Culture Films!

Grants to filmmakers and television producers to develop films and programs about Native American and Alaska Inuit cultures. The funding will be for research and development, production, or post-production stages, and submissions will be appropriate for public television broadcasting

3. Library Grants for Latino Storytelling and Literacy Programs!

Grants of $500 to libraries and community organizations to create opportunities for Latino storytelling and literacy programs. The funding will be for publicity, refreshments, materials, and to hire a storyteller for the family literacy program.

4. Grants to Nonprofits to Preserve Jewish Culture!

Grants to nonprofits for projects focused on education, the arts, secular Jewish culture, and preservation of the Yiddish language. Priority consideration will be for projects that increase access to higher education for underrepresented groups, improve the lives of Holocaust survivors, and increase access to historical archives.

5. Grants to Nonprofits to Advance Native American Culture!

Grants to nonprofits to promote, preserve, and advance Native American entrepreneurism. The funding will also be to facilitate Native American education (especially for college, graduate, and post-graduate education), and preserve and enhance Native American culture.

6. Grants to Nonprofits for to Preserve Art!

Funding for nonprofits to preserve art that disseminates specialized knowledge. This includes archival projects, development and dissemination of scholarly databases, and documentation projects. This also includes exhibitions that focus on art conservation, scholarly publications, and technical and scientific studies.

7. Grants for Museums and Libraries to Preserve Collections!

Up to $3,000 and in-kind donations of materials to nonprofit museums and libraries to preserve and exhibit collections. The funding supports project costs, including supplies, display fabrication, publicity, and contract workers. The purpose of the program is to increase knowledge of glazing applications and methods for preserving collections.

8. Grants to Nonprofits for Digital Art History Preservation!

Grants to nonprofits for research, collaboration, learning, and teaching to address the field of art history. The funding supports the digitization of significant visual and textual resources. The goal is to foster new forms of research and collaboration, as well as new approaches to teaching and learning.

9. Grants to Nonprofits for Historic Preservation!

Grants to nonprofits and tribes for historic preservation projects. The program supports projects that process, preserve, and digitize historical records. All types of historical records are eligible, including documents, photographs, born-digital records, and analog audio and moving images.

10. Grants for Culture and Heritage Preservation of Native Hawaiians!

Grants to Tribes and nonprofits to preserve Native Hawaiian knowledge, heritage, and culture. The funding supports educational services and programming and workforce professional development. Eligible projects also include organizational capacity building, community engagement, and collections stewardship.

11. Grants to Nonprofits to Preserve Humanities Resources!

Up to $10,000 to nonprofits, IHEs, and Tribes to enhance the care and conservation of noteworthy humanities collections. The funding helps small and mid-sized institutions not having previously received a grant to improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections.

12. Grants to Nonprofits to Preserve Humanities Materials!

Grants to nonprofits and Tribes to preserve humanities materials. The funding will be for the planning and implementation of sustainable conservation measures to mitigate deterioration, prolong the useful life of collections, reduce energy consumption, and strengthen the ability of institutions to anticipate and respond to disasters.

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